Western cyclone. [volume] (Nicodemus, Kan.) 1886-1887, 1887-10-07

t1nued: Some or these days when L get
rheumatics or something Of the sort,
so tramping won't be so jolly, I'm
going to settle down and write book
about where all I've been and all I've
seen. Once in a while l run over
some old fellow 1 used to fly around
with at home, and before he gets
away from me he will have most a
notion to take tramping himself,
seeing that l have SO fine time of it"
Then he was quiet for a good while.
and quicker settled down over his
eyes as he finished his dinner.
1.-THE only time ever wished was
something else was about week ago,
but it didn't last long," he said, as he
set aside the basket and cup. "AIaybe
100 miles from here, | come to little
town, and the first house l come to
was a cute little frame concern, all
built up new and nice, and made me
think that like as not some young
couple just starting out in life was be-
ginning there-that kind is always the
best to tackle.
"Well, went around the house, and
when l got to the corner, | was just
stuck to the ground with surprise.
There on the back porch, behind the
vines. sat the first girl l was ever en-
gagged tO!-she was singing and sew
ing and rocking cradle. Fact is, |
cared more for that very girl than ever
did for anybody, and Id have known
her most anywhere How it come
we never got married, we were neither
of us of age, so we concluded to wait
until we were, which would be about
three years. Well, three years is a
good long bit, when you're young and
full Of devilment, SO to fill up time |
got to smiling pretty much on one or
two other girls, which set her to flirting
with other boys till l was beaten at
my own game. Then We had high
old racket, for l saw she didn't object
to another fellow who wanted her as
bad as l did, and it riled me consider
able just the same; we broke all up,
and that ended it for always for, me.
| was engaged two or three times after
that before my money run out, but it
got monotonous, and l couldn't like
anybody very long after that. | reckon
if l had had good sense in the start,
everything would have been all right
to- day, and she would have been boss
in my house, and that would have been
my yOungster in the cradle, and"
Thought you wouldn't like to stay
=" began Johnnie, as the story teller
paused moment, but he was inter
rupted.
"Pd have given a quarter to got
away, but she seemed to feel me look
ing at her, for she turned around, and
seeing me looked mighty scared.
| don't mean any harm, ma'am, says
/, but won't you please give me some
thing to eat?" which of course was
all could say, and under the peculiar
circumstances it wasn't any more than
natural that I'd think of the dozen
times I'd danced with that very girl
and took her buggy riding and kissed
her-yes, and Rugged her, too!
"Certainiy, says she, just come here
to the step" Then she went into the
house and brought out a tray with
napkin on it, which was a little polite
ness l hadn't known for some time,
tho for a tramp. | generally get
treated pretty fair. Maybe she
thought it was me, or some sixty
third cousin of mine, for she brought
cake and pie, and bread with butter
and jelly spread on. some sliced ham
and pickles, and some more Stuff.
Lord! think of it!-when | might
have been eating with her three times
a day for the last six years
"Well, | sat there eating what she
gave me, feeling like regular dunn
fool for the first time in my life, and
looking at her as much as ever | could
without her knowing it. She used to
be right plump, and had the cutest
frizZieS and blacklist eyes ever you
seen, and beat all to be sassy and
comical in her sayings. That was eight
or ten years ago. She is somewhat
and she seemed then to be very quiet
and steady, but she looked good, and
happy and cOntented, for which | was
very glad, and l know she wouldn't
have looked so much so if she had
married mel guess I'm naturally
wild.
II was as long eating that dinner
as | could manage it but all things
has to end, so every crumb got away
at last, and l had to go.
would you object telling me your
name?" l says looking straight at
her. Mrs. William Bates" says she,
very quiet. That's what l supposed
it was. Just then little shaver, about
5 years old with big bla-k eyes, came
walking out on the porch and rubbing
his eyes like he had been to sleep
At sight of me he tucks his head in
her arm, and looks at me kind of shy,
and laughs--one of her old tricks
right over again.
"'lt seems to me l have seen you
before she saws still in that uuipt